The 1942/1 Mercury Dime (Buy on eBay) is a rare overdate coin which shows the numeral “2 over 1” for the final digit of the date. The variety was created when two obverse dies were impressed with a 1941 dated hub and then a 1942 dated hub.
Each 1942-P Mercury Dime was struck more than 70 years ago in 90% silver. Each comes in Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) condition. Many of these were melted down for their silver content making them scarce; finding them in this condition is even more of a rarity! Each comes with a certificate of authenticity. Product Details. 1942 Mercury Dime The US Mint has been producing the coinage of the United States since the country was founded some 200+ years ago. At first, the mint was only tasked with producing coins for the newly formed nation, but before long the US Mint was producing coins for countries all over the world. Additional Info: The Mercury or Winged Liberty dimes from 1942 are 90% silver! In addition there is a semi-common error where the mint stamped a 2 over the 1 in the date. This also happened at the Philadelphia mint as well. The ones from the Denver mint are worth between $600 and $8,000 to a collector. As Mercury dime aficionados will note, MS-65 specimens of the 1942/1 dime from Philadelphia are much scarcer than overdate Mercury dimes in a similar grade from Denver, with prices of around $15,000 for the former and $8,000 for the latter. Gem specimens of the regular-issue 1942 Mercury dimes are much more affordable, at about $30 each.
Did you scroll all this way to get facts about 1942 dime? Well you're in luck, because here they come. There are 398 1942 dime for sale on Etsy, and they cost $1,821.36 on average. The most common 1942 dime material is metal. The most popular color? You guessed it: silver.
By far, this is the most widely known and popular variety of the series. It is listed within the Red Book, which heightens awareness of the variety even for collectors who have not studied the series.
The overdate occurred at both the Philadelphia and Denver Mints. The Philadelphia minted version is much more bold and obvious, and was detected in circulation shorly after release. In March 1943, the discovery was publicized within a Numismatic Scrapbook article, which led many other examples to be identified and saved. The Denver minted version is less obvious and was actually not detected for some time.
Today, the 1942/1-D carries a slight premium at lower grade levels, but in gem condition, the Philadelphia issue is scarcer and commands a premium.
The finest graded examples of the 1942/1 Mercury Dime are a handful that have graded MS66 with Full Bands by PCGS and NGC. One of these examples graded by PCGS sold for $60,950 at an auction held in January 2011.
Coin Specifications
- Designer: Adolph A. Weinman
- Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper
- Weight: 2.5 grams
- Diameter: 17.9 mm
- Edge: Reeded
CoinTrackers.com has estimated the 1942 Mercury Dime value at an average of $2, one in certified mint state (MS+) could be worth $50. (see details)...
Type:Mercury Dime
Year:1942
Mint Mark: No mint mark
Face Value: 0.10 USD
Total Produced: 205,410,000 [?]
Silver Content: 90%
Silver Weight: .0723 oz.
Silver Melt: $1.97
Value: As a rough estimate of this coins value you can assume this coin in average condition will be valued at somewhere around $2, while one in certified mint state (MS+) condition could bring as much as $50 at auction. This price does not reference any standard coin grading scale. So when we say average, we mean in a similar condition to other coins issued in 1942, and mint state meaning it is certified MS+ by one of the top coin grading companies. [?].
Additional Info: 67% of all 1942 Mercury dimes were minted here at the (p) Philadelphia mint. Included in the numbers above are 22 thousand proofs worth around $400 each. Also look for an error 2 over 1 that is worth between 600 and 15k. If you see what looks to be a 2 and 1 combined you have a coin worth some big money. When buying or selling Mercury Dimes full bands are key.
Numismatic vs Intrinsic Value:This coin in poor condition is still worth $0.03 more than the intrinsic value from silver content of $1.97, this coin is thus more valuable to a collector than to a silver bug. Coins worth more to a collectors may be a better long term investment. If the metal prices drop you will still have a coin that a numismatic would want to buy.
Want more info? Then read Coin Collecting Investment an article that details the benifits of coin collecting as a way to build wealth. Also learn how to properly store your coins.
Current silver melt value* for a 1942 No mint mark is $1.97 and this price is based off the current silver spot price of $27.22 This value is dynamic so bookmark it and comeback for an up to the minute silver melt value.
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**When we say that 205,410,000, of these coins were produced or minted in 1942 this number doesn't always match the actual circulation count for this coin. The numbers come from the United States mint, and they don't reflect coins that have been melted, destroyed, or those that have never been released. Please keep that in mind.
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***Price subject to standard supply and demand laws, dealer premiums, and other market variations. Prices represent past values fetched at online auctions, estate sales, certified coins being sold by dealers, and user submitted values. While we wholeheartedly try to give honest price estimates there are many factors besides appearance, metal content, and rarity that help make up the coins overall value.Call or visit your local coin dealer for more information.
1942 Dime Error
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1942 Dime Value
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